Eric Winston stands by criticism of fans who cheered Cassel’s injury

Chiefs offensive lineman Eric Winston is standing by his criticism of the Chiefs fans who cheered on Sunday while quarterback Matt Cassel was on the ground after suffering a concussion.

“I meant what I said. I didn’t say it off the cuff,” Winston said, via Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star. “I look back on it and I’m happy with what I said.”

Winston did clarify that he didn’t think all or even most Chiefs fans were among those cheering seeing Cassel hurt.

“I didn’t mean all 70,000 [fans] were cheering. It might have been 7,000. It might have been 700. It’s still too many,” Winston said.

Cassel was having an absolutely dismal start to the season, with nine interceptions and four lost fumbles, when he went down on Sunday. He’s expected to miss at least one game with his concussion, and Brady Quinn is expected to start this week at Tampa Bay. Chiefs fans may cheer seeing their quarterback replaced, but it’s probably safe to say that the vast majority of fans would agree with Winston that the way the fans in Kansas City on Sunday went about it was wrong.

I watched video of the incident today, and I don’t think the cheers were for Cassel’s injury. Some of them might have been, but Jamaal Charles took a catch out of the backfield for a first down on the play, which is where some of the cheers came from. After that, the crowd quieted down a bit until Cassel got up to his feet, and the crowd cheered for him there. Dwayne Bowe was even trying to get the crowd to cheer at that moment.

I’m not saying some idiots weren’t cheering for Cassel’s injury, but the video is worth watching and it made me reconsider the incident.

It appears to me that many had cheered when Cassel was up and walking off the field. I think Winston may not like living in KC and might want to move on where it suits him better. He isn’t all that great so maybe a divorce might be the best for both.

kurtrundell says:Oct 8, 2012 6:07 PM

Winston ought to focus more on blocking than the crowd. He’s been a bust so far this year and gotten Cassel clocked several times.

imadipsnit says:Oct 8, 2012 6:13 PM

I was there nody was cheering his injury, even though we hate him we are sane individuals and would never do that, we cheered for charles then cheered when he got up not for the injury. This is them being pissy about the banner

Offensive linemen should be seen and not heard. If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.

chipwade says:Oct 8, 2012 6:17 PM

I will admit it. I was one of the drunks cheering when Charlie Whitehurst got hurt and they had to put an injured Tavaris Jackson back in the game. Fans don’t realize it when they are doing it. Everyone feels like a jerk later. They just want their team to win. These guys are the best in the world at what they do. But they are human just like everyone else.

imadipsnit says:Oct 8, 2012 6:21 PM

And its funny that it was winstons blocking that got cassel clocked to begin with

Fine Eric, then have Matt Cassel return the massive amounts of millions of dollars he has made undeservingly. Words are just words, and paying a guy in a tough economy a grotesque amount when others are struggling is a serious crime that directly affects everybody else in a negative way. Grow up and if you can’t take hurtful words, then don’t be a mega-millionaire loser like your buddy Matt Cassel.

If you took the poll and in anyway find justification for the cheering of ANY players injury – it says a lot more about you than anything else.

capslockkey says:Oct 8, 2012 6:22 PM

Being at the game, maybe 5% tops of the people there (most of them obnoxious drunks) were actually cheering/laughing/yelling at Cassel being on the ground. He got a much louder supportive cheer when he was walking off the field. I was disgusted with even that 5% though, even though I don’t think the majority of them were actually cheering about the guy being hurt, but cheering that a QB change was finally going to be made.

I wouldn’t cheer if someone on my favorite team got hurt, not even Kyle Boller back when he was the Ravens starter.

However if punks like Courtland Finnegan, Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison or Mike Vick got hurt playing my team, I totally would cheer. I’m sure I’ll get thumbs down but whatever, I’m sure a lot of people would.

mikealstott says:Oct 8, 2012 6:39 PM

The fans were only cheering because they want a different QB. Not because they want Cassel to die. Jeeesh – since when did everything get so personal?

pike573 says:Oct 8, 2012 6:44 PM

I’ve been to many arenas and stadiums for all the major sports (is hockey still considered major?) college and pro. Maybe it’s a small sample size and maybe where I was sitting (I’m giving the benefit of the doubt) but the one game experience I’ve had at a Chiefs game was by far the worst fan behavior I’ve ever seen.

watching the video i see it as the chiefs fans just cheering for the 1st down that they got on the play, seems like it was misinterpreted

spellingcops says:Oct 8, 2012 6:54 PM

As of now, 182 Philly fans have currently voted on this poll.

dzor22 says:Oct 8, 2012 7:06 PM

Years ago…I remember that happening in Georgia Dome when Chris Chandler was hurt, after Mike Vick was drafted. Those fans were even throwing things at his wife. It was pretty low. I’m sure it’s happened many times. Can’t blame Winston for speaking his mind.

49erstim says:Oct 8, 2012 7:10 PM

I’ve been to several NFL venues including Arrowhead. The one truth amongst them all is that the drunks are obnoxious. The last time I was at Arrowhead I was cussed out twice walking into the stadium, but once inside I was treated well. Carried on some good conversations with some Chiefs fans. They are a passionate fanbase, but I cannot see the majority of them cheering an injured Chief. It doesn’t fit their profile. Now Ive also seen 2 drunk Chiefs fans slugging it out in the nosebleeds….. methinks alcohol may contribute to deplorable behavior.

Winston is 100 percent right about people who cheer injuries though. Disgusting.

The cheers were for the organization not Cassel, he has been more than terrible, Fans are struggling and they pay big money to go to the games in this economy, what a shame the chiefs organization puts a product like that on the field. Yes Cassel is a human but he gets paid millions for what he does

bathroomben7 says:Oct 8, 2012 7:24 PM

Cry me a river. Cassel took 40 million from the Chiefs and plays like he never practices and doesn’t even care. I have no sympathy for the guy.

thelegends123 says:Oct 8, 2012 7:39 PM

If you ask a man to sacrifice his long term health for the potential of a million dollar salary, and he says yes, then I reserve the right to call him a gladiator, and cheer and boo him for what I choose.

If he chooses to work 8-5 for a barely living wage like the rest of us, I will gladly call him human and let him know the 800 number for the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) when his boss disagrees with him.

They are gladiators, the only difference is they get paid like kings.

contract says:Oct 8, 2012 7:42 PM

And yet if another Mike Tyson arose, all these hypocrites would drop their cash to see if he could beat his opponents brains in less than a round.

fyi the fans aren’t cheering the injury … they are cheering the change of QBs that the injury will force.

dolphins4 says:Oct 8, 2012 7:45 PM

Things could be worse in KC they could have Mike Vick at QB for their team.

bathroomben 7
How much he makes has nothing to do with the fact that he was laying on that field hurt and a few hopefully drunk individuals took some pleasure in that. I’m sure they’re people where you work that might think you’re over paid but I don’t think any of them would wish you harm. And, as far as his salary is concern I think your issue should be with your GM for giving all that money and not drafting a QB in last year’s draft.

So 700 people isn’t a lot ? Most football fans want their team to win but that’s a human being that ONLY 700 people cheered his being injured team love and loyalty is one thing but what about loyalty for your fellow American that’s the greatest team of all KC can’t wait for Brady Quinn be carful what u wish for the only thing he shares with Tom Brady is the name ….

“If you ask a man to sacrifice his long term health for the potential of a million dollar salary, and he says yes, then I reserve the right to call him a gladiator, and cheer and boo him for what I choose.”

———————————————-

Nobody is challenging your right to do what you like. About 85% here think you’re wrong to exercise it that way. Pretty simple Nero.

richndc says:Oct 8, 2012 7:55 PM

Hey contract: the point is when a man is laying motionless on the ground, you dont cheer. That is what you idiots will never get. Its sad you were not brought up to know any better.

sullijo1 says:Oct 8, 2012 8:18 PM

I feel like Chiefs fans have the right to express their frustration….that is the real issue here.

This is a team that hasn’t won a playoff game in 20 years (yes, I’m counting this year), and hasn’t played in a super bowl in over 40 years. They’re 1-7 in they’re last 8 games at home.

They’ve had a Top 5 pick in the draft 4 of the last 9 years, and a Top 11 pick 4 of the last 5 years.

They are $26M under the salary cap!

They’ve been irrelevant after one month of the season for as long as I can remember.

FRUSTRATING, I’m sure.

thelegends123 says:Oct 8, 2012 8:30 PM

I believe Brett Favre said it best, “It is football”.

If you are not man enough to deal with it, then don’t watch and don’t play. If people cheer or boo an injury, why care because they could be cheering the chief on the horse entering the field or they could be cheering the injury. If you are too sensitive to not realize there are many possibilities as to why someone may cheer or boo, then you are probably not cut out to play a competitive sport.

I watched the game and fail to see where he was laying motionless for any amount of time. Play resulted in a 1st down (which is like a 50 yard play for most teams) so initial cheers were clearly for that.

rammer27 says:Oct 8, 2012 9:36 PM

This whole thing is BS!!!!!! I was at the game and have been for 13 years. Did we want Cassel benched? Yes Did we want him hurt? No Were there some idiots cheering? Yes. The play happened on a play were they gained like 20 yards or something, so we were still cheering that the were able to move the ball. When it was noticed that Cassel was on the field hurt it became somewhat quite in our enzone( which is the one closest to the action at the time). When we noticed Brady Quinn come on to the field and start taking practice snaps we cheered cause we wanted a change. That cheer subsided as Cassel was getting up and as he walked off the field he was applauded for being able to walk off. I did make a comment to my son and another man that the people happy about the injury were classless, but it really wasn’t that many. In an interview on sports radio 810 today even Winston said it wasn’t the whole stadium but maybe 700 people. Still way to many but not indicative of our great and loyal fan base. I thought what Winston made since but he made a blanket statement and labeled all KC fans. Plus he sounded like a sissy we he talked(I wouldn’t say that to him though lol)

rammer27 says:Oct 8, 2012 9:40 PM

Plus remember there was probably 10,000-15,000 Ravens fans there and they were cheering a good hit on the opposing QB. So who knows what the hell Winston was hearing

slickster35 says:Oct 8, 2012 10:41 PM

Eric Winston:

Less talking, more blocking.

All this was about is a player deflecting his teams piss poor play on the field. As you can tell, no one is talking about how horrible the offensive gameplan was on sunday. Mission accomplished!

I agree applauding and injury is classless. However, this has been taken out of context. I don’t think fans were applauding a guy who is trying his hardest, whilst getting hurt in the process. Rather they were applauding the fact they were finally going to get to see someone play QB other than Matt Cassel, and they were frustrated because the Chiefs front office (namely Scott Pioli) refuses to use anyone but Cassel.

Eric Winston should not talk to the media about matters such as this no matter how correct he may be (if indeed an injury was being applauded). As a football player, you need to keep such matters ‘in house’ and not let the media get involved, because they always blow things out of proportion to make a story. It does nothing but bring down a franchise and draws unwanted attention to the team and organization.

Eric Winston should not talk to the media about matters such as this no matter how correct he may be (if indeed an injury was being applauded). As a football player, you need to keep such matters ‘in house’ and not let the media get involved, because they always blow things out of proportion to make a story. It does nothing but bring down a franchise and draws unwanted attention to the team and organization.
====================

It may shake up the team, and get them to rally too. They were beyond garbage for a lot of the season, wtf does “in house” have to do with anything….place is paranoid enough as it is with “phone taps” and god knows what else – maybe its time for transparency, because they sure as hell werent getting it done before.

Maybe they shouldnt have “applauded” the fact that they were finally going to get someone to play other than Matt Cassell…whatever the case, i’m encouraged by it, because it means SOMEBODY CARES….this thing was becoming a car wreck.

In other news that Chiefs are 1-4… What idiot thinks the fan base is happy? if this was NY or Dallas there would be 30 minutes of coverage of why isn’t the GM/HC being fired. And those cities fans would be recognized for booing and deserving better for being so passionate. But it’s a small market Midwest team, this is the opportunity for the media to teach a lesson. Laughable!

Judging by the results, 85% of people have their heads on straight. Our country is full of drunk, self-entitled idiots that place such a premium on winning that they cheer an injury. Seriously, how many situations can we recall a backup coming in and playing lights out. Yes, there are examples, but it is rare. Quinn, who has done NOTHING amazing in the NFL, is a back up for a reason. Cassel outplayed him! It’s not like the Chiefs have a Kurt Warner or Steve Young sitting behind Cassel. If this is the reason why these “die hard” (i.e. classless) fans cheered, then they are delusional in thinking they have an ace in the hole with Quinn. We can all agree Cassel is not the answer. But show some loyalty.